Book 1 Chapter 898
898.
The pier for the regular ferry service between Rumeria City and Rumern.
As the ferry docked, Leo disembarked with light steps.
Elena followed him, her face expressionless.
Leo glanced back at Elena, then burst out laughing and headed towards Rumeria City Hall.
Elena followed him silently.
As they walked through the streets, many recognized them and struck up conversations.
The shop owner, who was selling fruits displayed on a stall, smiled brightly and handed Leo two apples, saying,
“Your Majesty. The apples are excellent this year. Please try one.”
“Thank you.”
Leo was no longer just a Rumern student.
He had been recognized for his great achievements, elevated to the ranks of heroes, and ascended to the throne of a nation.
As such, the attitude of the Rumerian people towards Leo tended to be much more cautious compared to before.
Of course, even so, they did not find Leo difficult.
Leo always wore a kind smile when dealing with people.
As Leo walked onto the main street, he ate the apple given to him by the fruit vendor and handed the remaining one to Elena.
Elena, who received it, said,
“I've felt this before, but you're very kind to people, aren't you?”
“Because they are kind to me first.”
“With your personality, Leo, I would have thought you’d be prickly no matter how others treated you?”
“There were times like that.”
Elena could easily guess that those times were from his past life.
Elena pondered for a moment, then asked,
“Why aren’t you like that anymore? Is it because you're carrying the world on your shoulders alone?”
“It’s not really for that reason.”
Leo answered nonchalantly.
“Nor do I think I’m carrying the world alone.”
Compared to Lysinas 5000 years ago, the weight Leo carried was not that heavy.
Because 5000 years ago, there was no hope at all.
Moreover, to say he carried it alone, there were many who sought to maintain the world's order.
Of course, he carried the burden of being the only person who could achieve the complete subjugation of Erebus.
‘That does make my shoulders quite stiff.’
Remembering that fact, Leo let out a small laugh and patted his shoulder with his fist.
Elena saw this and said curtly,
“You’re like an old man.”
“Because I am an old man.”
“Hmph.”
Despite Elena's prim attitude, Leo said unconcerned,
“At first, it was simply imitating them.”
“The Great Heroes?”
Leo nodded.
“Unlike me, they were always kind to people.”
Leo smiled gently.
“After I was resurrected, I regretted it a little. I wondered why I had been so blunt with people who tried to approach me back then.”
Of course, there was a reason.
He had sent off so many people that he was called the surviving hero.
As such, he became reluctant to get close to anyone.
He didn't care how others judged him.
But now, he had come to realize that the countless small everyday moments in his past life were invaluable.
‘Perhaps that's also why I longed for the past in Sylod's illusion.’
“So, I decided to be affectionate towards people who are affectionate towards me.”
Leo crunched into an apple.
Just as Elena was about to open her mouth, looking at Leo.
“Well, well, who do we have here? Aren’t these the damn juniors who worked their senior to the bone in their final years?”
The person who spoke was someone Leo and Elena knew well.
Harke Rigaard.
He was a Rumern graduate from last year and the former vice-president of the student council, who had been bossed around by Leo until the day he graduated.
“Long time no see, Harke sunbae.”
Leo said with a faint smile.
“I was sorry not to see you at the coronation.”
“I’ve been quite busy since graduating.”
Harke sighed and replied, looking at Leo who greeted him warmly.
“I hear you’ve been doing amazing things on the front lines against Tartaros?”
“It’s nothing compared to you. And I hear you subjugated a fragment of Erebus?”
“It just happened.”
“By chance, you’re about to save the world, it seems.”
Leo burst out laughing at Harke’s words.
“Anyway, why is this one in a bad mood again?”
Harke frowned, looking at Elena who was staring intently at him.
As members of Rumern’s three great families, they had known each other since childhood.
However, their relationship was very bad when they attended Rumern together.
But thanks to being tormented by Leo, their relationship had improved to the point where they could be called 'frenemies'.
“What brings you here, Harke sunbae?”
“This is my house, isn’t it? Did you forget?”
Harke pointed behind him with his finger and said.
Rumern’s City Hall building.
It was a historic building, 3000 years old.
And for the past 3000 years, the Rigaard family had inherited the position of Mayor of Rumeria City.
As such, the City Hall building was also Harke’s home.
“Yes. I know that well, so please leave now.”
“Don’t be so heartless. I want to talk to Leo, it’s been a while.”
Harke shrugged.
“Leo, kick him out.”
When Elena said irritably, Leo shrugged.
“I can’t be that heartless, not after I overworked him so much before graduation.”
“So you *do* have a conscience? I thought you didn’t.”
Leo let out a hollow laugh, looking at the admiring Harke.
Harke, who had thus inserted himself between the two, conversed with Leo.
“I saw the report you submitted after your mission… you mentioned there were newly emerged legion commanders?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of guys are they? It was treated as a top-secret classified document, so I couldn’t see the details.”
Harke seriously began to grasp Tartaros’s current military strength.
As the successor of Rigaard, Harke had practically lived on the battlefield, leading his family’s knight order.
He was lazy and laid-back by nature, but he wasn’t the type to neglect his given responsibilities.
In fact, even when he was being bossed around by Leo in his fifth year and suffering from lack of sleep, he perfectly completed all tasks assigned to him.
After graduation, his sense of responsibility as a knight to protect allies on the battlefield also grew stronger.
Elena watched Leo and Harke converse from a little behind, with a sullen expression.
‘The atmosphere was good just a moment ago.’
It was not a bad timing to bring up the dance party.
But at that very moment, Harke appeared.
At that moment.
“You’ve arrived just in time.”
A person walked over from a distance.
It was Alby, a professor at Rumern and a member of the Zereon family.
“Elena, the family head is looking for you.”
“Father?”
Elena reluctantly followed Alby.
Harke snickered, watching them.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh. I had a feeling Elena was about to say something to you. Most likely, she was going to ask you to go to the dance party with her.”
“You know everything?”
“Given our family’s characteristics, we hear most things.”
Harke shrugged.
“Anyway, I intentionally started talking to interrupt, and the timing was good.”
“You should be kinder.”
“Considering how much I suffered because of that guy during my school days, this much is just a playful jab.”
‘He has a lot of enemies.’
Leo shook his head inwardly.
‘Well, considering how unruly I was in my rogue days, is it natural to have many enemies?’
Remembering the former Elena, Leo said,
“Anyway, Harke sunbae.”
“Yes?”
“You're currently unemployed, right?”
“What have you been listening to? I told you I was on the front lines against Tartaros for the past six months, didn't I?”
“That’s just helping with family business. It’s not working, is it?”
“No. But I am still the successor of our family?”
“Are you doing or helping with what the Rigaard family head does?”
“No.”
“Then, given your personality, aren’t you just on the battlefield to sleep as much as you want? You can legally sleep there, after all.”
Harke’s mana characteristic was ‘Accumulation’.
It was the power to accumulate mana through sleep and release it in an instant.
However, mana accumulation could not be done indefinitely.
Once the vessel was full, sleeping more was useless.
Ultimately, Harke kept sleeping simply because he liked to sleep.
“Someone who finishes family tasks quickly and sleeps all day, isn’t that usually called being unemployed?”
Harke pressed his temples.
It was a statement close to a sophism, but in a way, it wasn't wrong either.
“So, what is it you want to say?”
“Would you like to come to our kingdom? I'll treat you well.”
At that, Harke answered with a genuinely serious face.
“I absolutely refuse.”
Harke did not want to be bossed around by Leo ever again.
“And do you think my father would send me, his successor, somewhere else?”
“Wouldn't he send you if you said you wanted to go, Harke sunbae?”
“So why would I do that?”
Harke gave a cold laugh.
“Wake up from your dream, because I'll never work under you again.”
***
The Rumern student council president is not merely the peak of the students.
They have the authority to move the entire Rumern.
They also organize school schedules and budget formulations, and Rumern's budget is approved by the board of directors.
Naturally, meetings between the student council president and the board of directors were held regularly.
However, today's meeting was a little special.
This was because the chairman himself was attending the meeting.
Until now, Elena, the acting chairman, had been leading the meetings.
Upon entering the meeting room, Altech Zereon, the Infinity Speller, was seated in the highest position.
Elena and Alby were seated to his left and right.
The direct descendants of the Zereon family.
These were the three people who were effectively leading the Zereon family now.
“Long time no see, student Leo.”
“Long time no see. Chairman. Your face looks much better.”
As Leo responded to Altech, who had greeted him first, Elena burst out laughing.
“Pfft! It got worse.”
Altech’s cold gaze turned to Elena.
Elena straightened her back with an expressionless face, as if nothing had happened.
Altech clicked his tongue and said,
“First, I want to express my gratitude. Thanks to you subduing a fragment of Erebus, Tartaros’s movements have slowed down. Because of that, I was able to take some time and return to Rumeria City.”
“I didn’t do it alone.”
“Modest, aren’t you. I wish someone would learn a thing or two.”
Altech mumbled, glancing at Elena, who then displayed a bright smile.
“Let’s begin the meeting first.”
As meetings were held regularly, they did not take long unless there were unusual matters.
After the meeting ended.
The door opened, and a middle-aged man entered.
The man with a sturdy physique was Dejean Rigaard, the ruler of Rumeria.
“It was a meeting after a long time, but it ended quickly.”
“There was nothing special.”
“Indeed.”
Dejean nodded and sat next to Altech.
“Zereon family head, I have something serious I want to discuss.”
“What is it?”
“Elena. Did she perhaps decide to help with family matters after graduation?”
Dejean asked with an extremely serious face.
At that question, Altech made a puzzled expression.
Elena was the successor of Zereon.
By common understanding, it was normal for a successor to help with family matters after graduation.
Of course, Elena was different from ordinary people.
As a successor, she was already in the completed stage.
Having acted as the interim family head since childhood, it wouldn't be strange for her to become the family head immediately.
The problem, however, was still her disagreeable nature.
Altech had a certain trust when it came to that.
“It seems she has found a place to work on her own.”
“Is that true?”
Dejean's eyes widened.
And he looked at Elena and said,
“She always bothered the Zereon family head, but now she's grown up. You’re better than my damn son.”
At those words, Elena gave a seemingly pretty smile.
“Do you happen to know where she's working?”
Dejean asked cautiously.
In response, Altech looked at Leo.
“Student Leo.”
“Yes.”
“Returns are absolutely not allowed.”
At Altech’s serious words, Leo unconsciously burst out laughing.
Dejean, having heard their conversation, widened his eyes and looked at Leo, asking,
“Has Elena decided to work in the Arhi Kingdom?”
“Yes.”
“Oh…”
Dejean looked at Altech with an envious expression.
Dejean also knew very well how much Leo overworked the student council.
He also knew that Leo was building up strength with the goal of completely subjugating Erebus.
His embarrassing son would try to live comfortably no matter what, but the successor of Zereon, a member of Rumern's three great families, was not afraid of difficult work.
Dejean, after talking with Altech, fell into deep thought.
And after the meeting concluded, when it was time for Leo and Elena to return to Rumern, Dejean requested a separate meeting with Leo.
“What is it?”
When Leo, who had come to the mayor’s office, asked, Dejean said,
“Student Leo. I’ve always thought highly of you.”
Saying so, Dejean took out an envelope from his pocket and tried to put it into Leo’s pocket.
“What are you doing?”
“Ehey. Just take it, take it. It’s like pocket money. Go buy something delicious with Elena, or treat your hardworking student council friends.”
As Leo refused, Dejean forcefully put the envelope into Leo's pocket and lowered his voice.
“Actually, I’m doing this because I have a small favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“My son, you know. He likes to sleep a lot, but his abilities are very good, aren’t they? You know that well too, student Leo, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So, I was thinking. I’d like our student Leo… no, for him to work in His Majesty King Arhi’s country for a while.”
Dejean smiled amiably.
“I didn’t say this in front of Chairman Altech, but Elena… didn't that child go from a scoundrel to a good student after meeting student Leo?”
Dejean made a serious expression.
“Could you perhaps make a man out of my son too? You can work him without pay.”
“He’s a successor, is that alright?”
“It’s embarrassing to say this, but my son needs to experience some hardship. Your Arhi Kingdom has just been founded, and you must be short-handed. King Arhi would be happy to acquire excellent talent, and I would be happy to make a man out of my son. Please look after him well. Hmm? Hmm?”
Leo, looking at Dejean speaking in a subtle tone, said,
“But if he doesn’t want to, there’s nothing we can do, is there?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I already offered Harke sunbae a scouting proposal, and he flatly refused, saying he wouldn’t do it.”
“……”
At those words, Dejean smiled faintly.
Then he walked to the wall, picked up a sword hanging there, and said,
“I’ll persuade him well by tomorrow and send him to the Arhi Kingdom, so please speak well of him to Sir Siss.”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. Please take good care of my foolish son.”
Dejean personally opened the door for Leo.
Then he exited the office with Leo and immediately ran off somewhere.
Elena, who was waiting in the 1st-floor lobby, had a puzzled expression.
“What did you talk about with Uncle Dejean?”
“Career counseling.”
“Career counseling?”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a desperate scream was heard.
Hearing that sound, Leo said with a laugh,
“He asked me to make a man out of him, like you.”
At those words, Elena stomped hard on Leo’s foot.